Vasectomy reversal: microsurgery in Medellín
To have children again after a vasectomy
The reversal reconnects the vas deferens under a microscope so that sperm return to the semen. Its results depend above all on the years since the vasectomy and on the age of your partner. MDE Care is not a clinic: we coordinate the assessment with the urologist, the surgery, the follow-up visits and your stay.
Have children again
with microsurgery
What are your chances of having children again with a reversal?
With the years since the vasectomy and the age of your partner, we show you what the largest studies report, the technique usually needed and whether it is worth comparing with in vitro fertilization.
1. How many years have passed since the vasectomy?
2. How old is your partner?
3. Have you already had a reversal attempt?
4. Does your partner have a diagnosed fertility problem?
5. How many children would you like to have?
Your guidance
Answers missing
Answer the questions to see your guidance.
* Figures from published studies, not a promise: Vasovasostomy Study Group (Belker et al., J Urol 1991, 1,469 reversals), Gerrard et al. (Fertil Steril 2007) and Fuchs and Burt (Fertil Steril 2002, reversals 15 years or more after the vasectomy). Each figure comes from a different study: they are not added or multiplied. The technique is decided during surgery.
How much a vasectomy reversal costs
Choose the option, the follow-up tests and your stay if you are coming from another city or country. We show you the price of each part and the estimated total.
Option
During surgery
Before and after
Stay in Medellín
If you are coming from another city or country.
Estimated total
Reversal and your selection
COP 8,410,000 to COP 11,900,000
* Estimated market prices in Colombia; they are confirmed in the formal quote, which details fees, anesthesia and operating room. The IVF price is a reference published in Bogotá in 2026. The stay corresponds to the partner recovery house, standard room.
What is a vasectomy reversal?
It is a microsurgery that reconnects the vas deferens that were cut during the vasectomy, so that sperm return to the semen and a natural pregnancy becomes possible. It is performed under a microscope with very fine sutures.
During surgery, the urologist examines the fluid coming out of the vas: it is the best indicator of the result. If it contains sperm or is clear, the two ends are joined (vasovasostomy). If not, there may be a blockage higher up and the vas is joined to the epididymis (vasoepididymostomy).
Choosing correctly matters: when there were no sperm in the fluid and a vasovasostomy was still performed, only 60% regained sperm. That is why the American Urological Association guideline requires the surgeon to master both techniques.
What changes the result
- Years since the vasectomy. The longer the time, the lower the chances and the greater the need for the complex technique.
- Partner's age. Pregnancy drops markedly from age 40.
- Fluid in the vas. It is examined during surgery and determines the technique.
- Previous attempts. A second reversal achieves sperm in 75% and pregnancy in 43%.
An outpatient microsurgery
What usually happens on the day of the reversal, according to published references.
At the start
Anesthesia
General or local, depending on the case and the urologist.
Up to 4 hours
Microsurgery
Under a microscope, on one or both sides.
The same day
Home
It is an outpatient procedure: it does not usually require a hospital stay.
First 24 hours
Ice and scrotal support
Ice in 20-minute periods and a scrotal support for at least one week.
Results by years since the vasectomy
Data from the Vasovasostomy Study Group, the largest published study: 1,469 microsurgical reversals at five centers.
Sperm in the semen
86%
Of the men with follow-up, in a first reversal.
Pregnancy
52%
Of the couples with follow-up.
Less than 3 years
76%
Pregnancies, the highest figure in the study.
Less than 3 years
3 to 8 years
9 to 14 years
15 years or more
Belker et al., Journal of Urology, 1991. The figures are study averages, not a promise for an individual case.
Recovery after the reversal
By phase
The same day
Home
It is an outpatient procedure: most patients go home the same day.
First 24 hours
Intermittent ice
Cold compresses in 20-minute periods, without direct contact with the skin.
About 2 days
Daily activities
Normal activities are resumed, without strain.
5 to 7 days
Back to work
Up to 2 weeks if the work involves physical effort.
2 to 3 weeks
Sexual activity
Intercourse and ejaculation are avoided while healing.
6 to 8 weeks
First semen analysis
With the sample collected 48 to 72 hours after the last ejaculation.
No strain for one week
Avoid intense exercise and lifting weight for at least one week, and wear a scrotal support during that time.
Patience after a vasoepididymostomy
After a vasoepididymostomy, sperm may take up to 15 months to appear in the semen.
Risks and limits of the reversal
The complications of the surgery are those of any procedure on the scrotum. The main limit is not safety, but that pregnancy is not always achieved.
Possible complications
- Hematoma or bleeding in the scrotum
- Wound infection
- Swelling and bruising during the first days
- Pain, usually controlled with pain relievers
- Risks related to anesthesia
14%
Without sperm after a first reversal
In the study of 1,469 reversals, 865 of 1,012 men regained sperm.
75%
With sperm after a second reversal
If the first one fails, repeating it is possible, with lower results: 43% pregnancies.
14%
Pregnancy with partners aged 40 or older
Compared with 56% with partners aged 39 or younger (Gerrard et al., 2007).
Vasovasostomy, vasoepididymostomy and IVF, side by side
The first two are the same reversal surgery with different techniques; IVF with sperm retrieval is the alternative without a reversal.
Vasovasostomy
Reference price
COP 8,000,000 to COP 11,000,000 (US$2,000 to US$2,750)
What it does
Rejoins the two ends of the vas deferens, under a microscope
When
If there are sperm or clear fluid in the vas during surgery
Result
97% with sperm if less than 3 years have passed
Sperm in the semen
They usually appear within weeks
Vasoepididymostomy
Reference price
Adjusted at the consultation
What it does
Joins the vas deferens directly to the epididymis
When
If there is a blockage in the epididymis; decided during surgery
Frequency
It was needed in 62% of reversals after 15 years or more
Sperm in the semen
Up to 15 months
It is part of the same reversal surgery, on one or both sides.
IVF with sperm retrieval
Reference price
From COP 25,048,000 (US$6,262)
What it does
Retrieves sperm from the testicle or the epididymis and fertilizes in the laboratory
When
Partner aged 40 or older, or a female fertility problem
Result
44% live births, compared with 40% with the reversal, with no significant difference
For another child
Each attempt requires a new cycle
Plus sperm retrieval, which is quoted at the consultation.
See in vitro fertilization
When is in vitro fertilization the better choice?
The other way to have children after a vasectomy is to retrieve sperm directly from the testicle or the epididymis and use them in in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). It does not reconnect the vas.
- When the partner is 40 or older, because pregnancy after the reversal falls to 14%.
- When the partner has a fertility problem of their own, which IVF can treat at the same time.
In reversals 15 years or more after the vasectomy, the overall pregnancy rate was 43%, similar to the 40% of ICSI. Learn about in vitro fertilization and the specialty of fertility in Medellín.
Looking for a vasectomy, not a reversal?
The no-scalpel vasectomy is the contraceptive procedure: local anesthesia, about 15 minutes and outpatient.
Your reversal in Medellín, step by step
The surgery is outpatient, but it is advisable to stay a few days for rest and the check-up. The semen analyses are done weeks later and you can have them in your home city.
Step 1
Contact by WhatsApp
Tell us how many years ago you had the vasectomy and the age of your partner.
Step 2
Case review
The urologist reviews your information and explains the chances and the expected technique.
Step 3
Formal quote
With the details of what it includes, in Colombian pesos or US dollars.
Step 4
Microsurgery and stay
Outpatient; with the option of a recovery house at COP 759,900 (about US$190) per night in a standard room.
Step 5
Check-up before you travel
Review of the wound and of the care for the following weeks.
Step 6
Semen analyses in your home city
The first at 6 to 8 weeks; you send us the result and the urologist reviews it.
What MDE Care does for you
We are neither a clinic nor a directory. We support you from your first question to the results consultation.
Initial guidance
We review your medical order or the reason for your visit before booking.
The right specialist
We connect you with the urologist who performs the procedure you need.
Clear prices
You know the price and what it includes before booking.
Appointments and tests
We coordinate the schedule, the preparation and the timing of each step.
Logistics support
Lodging and transportation if you are coming from another city or country.
Follow-up
We coordinate the results consultation and follow-up visits.
About vasectomy reversal
How much does it cost to reverse a vasectomy in Colombia?
What are the chances of having children again?
Does the partner's age matter?
What is a vasoepididymostomy and when is it needed?
When do sperm return to the semen?
Which is better, a reversal or IVF?
Which clinic is best for a vasectomy reversal?
How long should you stay in Medellín?
Other urology pages
Request your reversal assessment
Tell us how many years ago you had the vasectomy and the age of your partner. We will explain the chances, the expected technique and the price before you travel.